Chinese coast guard ships that entered Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea over the weekend left the area Tuesday night, having stayed there for a record 57-plus hours until Tuesday evening, the Japan Coast Guard said.
The two ships left Japanese waters and sailed in the so-called contiguous zone from 8:19 p.m. Tuesday after remaining in the waters for a record 57 hours 39 minutes. The length of time exceeds the previous record set in July, when Chinese vessels spent 39 hours and 23 minutes in the waters.
The two ships had entered the waters near the islands, which are claimed by China, at around 10:47 a.m. Sunday, and attempted to approach a Japanese fishing boat, the coast guard said.